Of the -- clad surfer. On a beautiful California day. Then this. Two humpback whales bursting out of the water mouths wide open. Devouring mass quantities of anchovies. And all dangerously close to -- onlookers. It happened right out here about quarter mile out Barbara -- was just twenty feet away from the encounter when she shot this amazing video. Scientists believe weather patterns have driven fish closer to shore this year. And drop -- feeding whales with them and with a humpback population that has tripled in the last twenty years. Surfers and key actors like this were treated to a show. When people intentionally get too close to the whales they putting themselves in danger. The forty ton animal can lift his entire body out of the water with a couple's lives in detail you can imagine where they can do to a person. And this isn't the first time humans attested that boundary. In 1992 leaked Hadley was filming what he thought was a friendly encounter between the pilot -- a -- When suddenly the whale dragged the woman forty feet underwater. For people who watch this video game thinking are you -- -- eat animals aren't his thing is to light trucks and you know -- we were crazy to. Out there. Having an animal the size of an eighteen Wheeler plunging out of the water right in front of you can definitely be scary. There's thousands of pounds flying up in the air right next to you when you're sitting duck basically to close -- -- -- did this he nature lover won't soon forget. From now on I am going to do you whales from -- bluffs like this. For Good Morning America -- -- ABC news Santa Cruz California.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

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